Ex-Guilford standout finds new career in pool

ROCKFORD — As a collegiate swimmer at the University of Iowa, Andy Miner dreamed of returning home to teach and coach boys swimming at his alma mater, Guilford.

Brenda Young

ROCKFORD — As a collegiate swimmer at the University of Iowa, Andy Miner dreamed of returning home to teach and coach boys swimming at his alma mater, Guilford.

Instead, he landed his first job working in the Maine Township School District and started a boys water polo team at Maine West High School.

“My dad (Bill Miner), Chris Gyorkos and Gene Cassioppi seem to have the (Guilford) program heading in the right direction and I have found a new love for coaching water polo,” Miner said.

Shortly after starting the water polo program at Maine West and becoming a first-year teacher, Miner was laid off. Today, he teaches physics and astronomy at Evanston and was hired as the head girls water polo coach in January.

Growing up, Miner said he craved the team aspect of sports in swimming and would have loved a water polo team in high school. Before coaching at Maine West, Miner had never taught or coached water polo before.

“If you have a pool, it’s one of the easiest and cheapest sports to get off the ground and into a varsity sport,” Miner said. “Being able to use my knowledge of swimming and movement in the water and combine it with the team aspect of water polo has allowed me to grow as a coach and learn to love the sport.

“It’s not an easy sport to learn or coach, but I think that’s why I have enjoyed it so much.”

Miner, 26, was a four-time state qualifier at Guilford (2002-2005). The former two-time NIC-9 MVP swam for Iowa, where he received academic All-Big 10 and academic All-American honorable mention.

Miner credits his father for his path in coaching and teaching. Bill Miner has served as the Guilford boys swimming coach since 2005. He took over the program from legendary coach Don May.

“My dad is my idol,” Miner said. “He has coached me in so many sports in my life, and did it with incredible patience and love.

“He has a passion for swimming, coaching and Guilford High School that no one can match.”

Bill Miner believes his son has found his place as a coach.

“He can motivate, intimidate, empathize and sympathize,” he said. “He has the ‘street cred’ because of swimming and many of the coaches in the Central Suburban League remember him as a swimmer from Guilford.

“Andy has always been a competitor, someone who could take a challenge from others or set one for himself. That trait has served him well.”